


We try to avoid any commotion, by showing hardly any emotion

by RoseCriss



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Pre-Canon, follows some events of the show
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-14 11:23:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14768621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoseCriss/pseuds/RoseCriss
Summary: A different take on the tv series, starting before the events of the first episode. The canon will diverge in multiple points, how much depending on where the characters take me. Eventual Jalec.





	We try to avoid any commotion, by showing hardly any emotion

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, everyone! The plot for this fic randomly came to me and I had to write it down right away. I'm not sure how frequently I'll be able to update, but I'll try not to take too long! 
> 
> The title is from the song "A Matter of Time" by Sennek.
> 
> I'm not a native speaker, so I apologise for any/all mistakes. Feel free to correct me if you come across any mistake! :)

Alec was just _so tired_.

Bringing his hands to his eyes, as if to shield him from any more overbearing stimuli, he let himself lean against the hard-white wall of the hallway. He took a deep breath and sighed, thanking the Angel that no one seemed to be feeling the need to use the laundrette, since that was where the hallway he was in ultimately led to.

Sliding all the way down to the floor, he couldn’t help but to think he ought to sleep more tonight; this tiredness wasn’t sustainable at all with what he did for a living, the responsibilities he had on his shoulders. But he couldn’t do anything about it, it’s not like he was doing it on purpose. He most definitely wasn’t telling his mind not to stop thinking about a certain blond shadowhunter; it was quite the opposite, actually. Maybe that was what he was doing wrong, what got him so drained, night after night and day after day – all that fighting.

Fighting against one’s mind was bound to have nefarious consequences for one’s self. Just like when he fought against demons and aimed to neutralise them, now he was aiming to neutralise his own mind, his own inner demons and that’s what was sucking the energy he still had left, after so many restless nights.

He was so lost in his own struggle that he didn’t hear footsteps approaching; that was his first mistake.

“Alec?” Jace called, concern filling his quiet voice.

Alec immediately perked up, sitting straight as an arrow and running his fingers through his hair, as if to regain the composure he should have been showing in the first place.

“Hey,” he greeted, trying to sound at least a little better than he felt.

Jace didn’t buy it, though. “Are you okay?” He asked, positioning himself to be sat in front of him.

“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?” Alec answered with a small smile, one they both knew wasn’t honest.

The younger shadowhunter sighed. “I don’t understand why you feel the need to lie, Alec. We’re parabatai, I’m sure I don’t need to remind you that you can _always_ tell me _anything_ ,” he said, honesty pooling in his mismatched eyes.

Alec knew that, but could he really tell him anything, when what he was hiding would ruin them both? No.

“I can assure you I’m fine,” Alec said, with resolution. “I’m just tired, I haven’t been sleeping well,” he confessed, glad he could at least tell part of the truth to his parabatai. He didn’t like lying to him, but it was a necessary evil ever since he started having those ludicrous feelings towards him.

Jace sighed. “Ok, I’ll pretend to buy it,” he said, taking a piece of paper from the back pocket of his leather pants. “This is for you.”

Alec cocked an eyebrow and took the paper from Jace, opening it.

_“Jace 3 – 0  Alec”_

Alec couldn’t help the laugh that escaped his throat. “Seriously, Jace?” he asked, amused. Despite his resistance, his parabatai insisted on playing that game with him; something he had seen on some mundane film.

“You always fall for it,” Jace said, with a grin. “At least try to get me, the score is starting to be embarrassing on your side,” he teased, getting up and extending a hand to help his parabatai up as well.

“Since you’re so keen on the mundane culture, you should read ‘Peter and the Wolf’,” Alec said, accepting Jace’s hand. If his heart skipped a beat, he chose to ignore.

The blonde boy raised an eyebrow, confused. “What is that?” he asked, while they began walking towards the kitchen.

Alec couldn’t help a chuckle. “Read and you’ll see,” he answered, amused. “It might help you see where this whole paper prank is going.”

As soon as they reached the kitchen, Alec made a beeline to the fridge; he was starving, not having breakfast nor lunch would do that to a person.

“Does it involve werewolves?” Jace asked, still curious about the story his parabatai had recommended him.

Alec laughed, before sticking an entire cupcake in his mouth. “Read,” Alec tried to say, his mouth full of the delicious chocolate cake.

Seeing his parabatai act so freely around him always made Jace feel like he was the most important person in the world. Alec would have never behaved that way around any other person, not even Isabelle, which was why those small moments always made his day.

“By the Angel, Alec, was Izzy making breakfast today?” He asked, his laugh mirrored by his parabatai.

Alec smiled, before remembering why he hadn’t had breakfast. “No, I was just not hungry then,” he said, filling a glass with milk.

Jace wasn’t convinced, but decided not to press the matter. “Scrambled eggs?” he asked, making his way towards the fridge to get the eggs.

Alec raised an eyebrow. “Have your egg scrambling skills gotten any better since last week?” he asked, amused.

Jace couldn’t help the slight pout that formed on his lips. “Hey, that was an accident! It wasn’t even my fault!” he protested, breaking the eggs to a bowl. “Izzy was the one that said I should add cayenne pepper because she had read on some mundane magazine that it prevented wrinkles!”

The older shadowhunter laughed, getting a pan for the eggs. “And you trusted Izzy’s cooking advice?” He asked, amusement patent in his voice.

Jace sighed, acknowledging the mistake he had made. “I’ll cook the best scrambled eggs today, you’ll see!” The blonde shadowhunter said, radiating confidence.

They cooked the rest of the meal in silence, Alec making some toasts to go with the eggs. When they were done, they sat down on each side of the table, Jace with his back to the door.

“C’mon, try it!” Jace said, staring at his parabatai with excitement. He was sure those were the best scrambled eggs he had ever cooked.

Alec smiled at the blonde shadowhunter, never ceasing to be surprised by how happy Jace seemed to be over simple things, like scrambled eggs. Very dramatically, Alec slowly stacked some eggs on his fork, calmly taking it to his mouth to chew.

Before he could say anything, however, their sister Isabelle walked into to kitchen.

“Hate to ruin your Masterchef assessment, Alec, but we were all called to the ops room,” she said, amused.

Alec rolled his eyes but Jace just looked confused. “Masterchef?” He asked, not familiar with the mundane tv show.

Isabelle laughed. “It’s a mundane tv show that you should definitely watch,” she said, grabbing an apple from the table and taking a bite.

“I don’t know about that, Izzy,” Alec started, “you have been watching it for what, two years now? And you haven’t shown any improvements,” he mocked, with a small smirk.

Jace bursted out laughing while Izzy playfully smacked Alec’s arm, the three siblings making their way out of the kitchen.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked the beginning!  
> I'd really appreciate your feedback! :D


End file.
